New Madang fish market and jetty to promote local fishing industry

The Government of Japan has approved the preliminary survey to appraise the proposal by the National Fisheries Authority for the new Madang market and fisheries jetty project that will aim to benefit more than 80,000 people of Madang town, the surrounding communities and other users of Madang market.

The proposal was submitted in 2011 through the Department of National Planning and Monitoring to the Government of Japan for funding under the fisheries grant component of the Japanese Overseas Development Assistance.

The outside of the Madang Fisheries Cooperatives building. -Pictures courtesy of National Fisheries Authority

The completed fish buying and storage facility for the Madang Fisheries Cooperatives Society funded under the Japanese Overseas Development Grant for 2010. It was built in 2010 and completed last year.

According to the managing director of the National Fisheries Authority, Sylvester Pokajam, the proposed project would involve the construction of the vegetables and fish market buildings, the development of a fisheries jetty, which includes the ice making and ice-cum-fish storage facilities, the expansion of the waterway into the lagoon and construction of a hanging bridge, and procurement and installation of related equipment and materials such as the water reservoir and emergency generator to complement the market facilities.

Pokajam further explained that the project was part of a series of projects earmarked for coastal maritime provinces, similar to the new Wewak market and jetty, with the primary objective of enhancing fisheries production at the artisanal level for local Papua New Guineans by strengthening fish distribution capabilities, by providing sound and hygienic market condition for the daily market users.

The construction of the fisheries jetty, ice-making and fish landing facilities will enhance market accessibility and promote local fishermen and coastal fisheries development in general in terms of increasing cash income opportunities and promoting local fishing businesses. 

The development of the jetty and the expansion of the waterway into the lagoon is not only an essential part of the market by means of improvement of accessibility to the market but also plays an important role in the promotion of artisanal fisheries as center of the regional fisheries development and enhancement of the town infrastructure, physical features and beautification. The jetty, ice making and landing facilities once developed, will be used as a center of artisanal fisheries development as well as a base of sea transportation for banana boats that link remote communities and the Madang market.

 The ice-making facility will provide ice for fishing use to promote the artisanal fisheries.

In this connection, an ice-making plant together with ice-cum-fish storage, water reservoir and emergency generator will be provided.

The cost of the preliminary proposal was more than US$5 million, however, once the survey and design of the project has been completed, the actual cost of the project will then be determined.

The Japanese technical project design team engaged by the JICA will be in the country from 26 February 26 to  April 6,  2012.